The human species has long been considered intractable for genetic studies, but, with the rise of genomics, human genetics will be the center of biological attention. This change arises from our technological ability to sequence the human genome, to globally identify and monitor variation at the DNA, RNA and protein levels. These molecular genomic descriptions of detailed human phenotypes, together with knowledge of the cellular circuitry encoded by the genome and the distribution of genetic disease as a function of human history and ecology, will be the main focus of human genetics. The theme of the conference will be to define the state of human genetics at the genomic level. Specifically, we shall discuss how genomic tools can be used to dissect the molecular basis of common human diseases, genomic mechanisms in human health and disease and the impact of genetic technologies on humans.